At-risk teens simulate police decision-making

The U.S. Attorney's Office and local law enforcement worked with at-risk teens Wednesday to role play different police scenarios, allowing the kids an insight to the difficulties of the job.
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Greg Sanders talks about his experience serving 21 years in a federal prison during the BLAST program at AMI Kids in Pensacola on Wednesday, March 22, 2017.(Photo: Gregg Pachkowski/gregg@pnj.com)Buy Photo

A group of teenagers pulled over speeding drivers, responded to domestic disturbances and practiced their use-of-force decision-making skills Wednesday as they gained insight into law enforcement behavior.

The group of about 50 AMIkids students were the first local participants in the U.S. Attorney's Office's Building Lasting Relationships Between Police and Community program. The BLAST program aims to give kids who have encountered the justice system a chance for a positive experience. The students were split into groups to rotate through four displays — a justice system overview and Q&A with an assistant U.S. Attorney; a domestic disturbance role play; a traffic stop role play; and a use of force simulator.

"We feel like if we can share information and if each side can share perspectives with the other, then it's going to make cooperation a lot better, reduce stress in certain situations and allow us to keep the community safe," U.S. Attorney Chris Canova said.

"The kids, as police officers, get to see what it's like when you’re trying to solve a crime and people won't cooperate with you, and how hard that it. The point is, if you see something, say something."

Student Rayshaderi'a Richardson said she'd always heard negative viewpoints about law enforcement, but after meeting several officers throughout the day her perceptions changed.

Kenneth Tucker, U.S. Department of Justice director of law enforcement coordination, demonstrates a firearms simulation exercise during the BLAST program at AMI Kids in Pensacola on Wednesday, March 22, 2017.
Gregg Pachkowski/gregg@pnj.com

Keyshawn Jenkins, 16, right, and Devan Collins, 14, listen as Greg Sanders talks about his experience serving 21 years in a federal prison during the BLAST program at AMI Kids in Pensacola on Wednesday, March 22, 2017.
Gregg Pachkowski/gregg@pnj.com

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"Everybody thinks they're against us and fighting us, which they're not. They're helping us," she said. "I really liked the role playing because it made me feel like I was one of them and what they go through. … You actually get there and (think) maybe this person is really not trying to hurt somebody."

Keyshawn Jenkins got the most from the use-of-force simulator, where kids acted as police tasked with making a split-second decision on whether to shoot a suspect.

During the domestic calls, he realized that while most people interviewed by police are reluctant to help, if it were a loved one in that situation he'd want the community to step up and put the right person in jail.

"It could be your mom or anybody in your family who's in any type of predicament, and the best thing to do is cooperate," he said.

Canova said throughout the four-hour program, he could physically see the changes in the kids' questions, demeanor and attitudes.

"They've had a negative perception a lot of times because of their personal experience, and that's not going to change unless we give them a positive environment and experience," he said.

Each station allowed the students to ask questions of the law enforcement officers or lawyers running the program, and the kids heard from a felon who had spent 21 years in federal prison for drug offenses.

The BLAST program began late last year, according to Canova, and will likely expand to include adults and other age ranges. The role-play scenarios involved agencies like the Pensacola Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Drug Enforcement Administration, among others.